Stu Brown - Stu Brown's Twisted Toons Vol. 2: The Music Of Carl Stalling - CD

Glasgow based drummer and composer, Stu Brown, released his critically acclaimed debut album The Stu Brown Sextet, Twisted Toons - The Music of Raymond Scott in 2009, a tribute to the maverick bandleader, composer, inventor and electronic music pioneer. Brown’s follow up release, Twisted Toons Vol. 2, features an expanded line up including his current live septet of Daniel Paterson on violin, Tom MacNiven on trumpet, slide trumpet and lap steel guitar, Brian Molley on tenor saxophone, clarinet and flute, Martin Kershaw on clarinet, bass clarinet and alto saxophone, Paul Harrison on piano, keyboards, synths, fart samples (!), and Mario Caribé on double bass with special guests Emma Roche on flute and piccolo and Allan McKeown on acoustic guitar and ukulele.

Twisted Toons Vol. 2 delves deeper into the world of the cartoon soundtracks including the pioneering work of Carl Stalling, whose brilliantly detailed scores accompanied the antics of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Co., as well as the equally ground breaking music of Scott Bradley, which underscored the slapstick violence of Tom and Jerry and the Tex Avery cartoons. Most of this music has never been recorded or performed live since the original cartoons were made.

Highlights include four complete scores from Tom and Jerry, Droopy, Roadrunner and Porky Pig, several new arrangements of Carl Stalling’s commonly used themes (including Raymond Scott’s ‘Powerhouse’ and his own ‘Screwball Theme’), a selection of kitsch 1950’s library music cues that appeared in Ren and Stimpy and Spongebob Squarepants and some of Bill Frisell’s atmospheric writing for Gary Larson’s Tales From the Far Side.

The result is by no means a complete anthology of cartoon music but rather a small glimpse into the wacky world of sonic slapstick and audio absurdity.

1. The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down / 2. Powerhouse (Carl Stalling Style) / 3. Carl Stalling Jungle Medley / 4. Like Strange / 5. Goblins In The Steeple / 6. Holiday Playtime / 7. Mouse For Sale (Tom And Jerry Score) / 8. Rabbit Fire / Screwball Wabbit Theme / 9. Creepy Walking Theme / 10. Zoom And Bored (Roadrunner Score) / 11. Hawaiian Beach / 12. Tales From The Far Side / 13. Huckleberry Robot / 14. Dixieland Droopy (Droopy Score) / 15. Happy Go Lively / 16. Porky In Wackyland Porky Pig Score) / 17. Merrily We Roll Along